When Shinji began working as a campaign manager for Ken Takahara, he hired Akiko and made her the campaign speechwriter. After Ken was assassinated during a rally, Akiko persuaded her uncle to run for Prime Minister in his memory. Ken's memorial was interrupted by a Yakuza firefight, during which Akiko was saved by a Monkey in a suit.

Akiko soon came to suspect that Ken and now her uncle's opponent Itaru Ozu was behind Ken's assassinaton. Eventually he accused him of it in public, causing a scandal and forcing her uncle to fire her from the campaign. That night, the monkey showed at her house and Akiko welcomed him inside. Monkey's presense soon attracted the attention of Lady Bullseye, who blem up her house with Akiko still inside.